Studia Islamika
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Enhancing Religious Education: An Attempt to Counter Violent Extremism in Indonesia
No full textIndonesian government plays an important role in developing religious education. Since the 1970s, the government has promoted basic education for the Indonesian citizen, modernizing primary and secondary education and including religious subjects in the national curriculum. Furthermore, from the early beginning of the New Order era, Islamic educational institutions such as pesantren and madrasah—which are mostly founded by private or informal institutions— must also follow the national curriculum and comply with state regulations. On the one hand, pesantren is continuously recognized as an autonomous institution, and honored as a community-based educational institution. Madrasah, on the other hand, is supported to teach Islam and religious subjects, but at the same time it is required to introduce sciences and general subjects to its students.During the 1980s and 1990s, major changes in the curriculum of Islamic religious education in Indonesia have turned madrasah into education institutions increasingly integrated in Indonesia’s national education. In fact, the share of general studies reached 70%, while religious studies have been reduced to only about 30% of madrasah curriculum. As a consequence, all madrasah graduates have equivalent degree recognized by other schools in general, enabling them to pursue undergraduate studies in public universities.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v25i1.728
Tafsīr filantropīyat al-Qur’ān al-Karīm fī Indonesia: Musāhamat Tafsīr Sūrat al-Mā‘ūn li Kiai al-Ḥāj ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm (1887-1962)
No full textThis article discusses the Quranic exegesis concerning social care that is used as a base-praxis for philanthropy and social gatherings in the colonial period. The object of this study is Tafsier Soerat Al-Ma’oen (1930) written by K.H. Abdulchalim. This Sundanese-language work is actually developed as the result of Abdulchalim’s reading on the Quranic exegesis of Juz ‘Amma was written by Muhammad Abduh. Abdulchalim tried to interpret this surah and made it as the basis of the his philanthropic activities through the establishment of social institutions rather than carrying out casitas activities which he considered momentary and consumtive. His social activities were based on the teachings of philanthropy contained in the al-Mā‘ūn surah, such as philanthropic orientation from individual to collective, attachment between praying and the fulfilment of weak people’ right, criticism of the Muslim backwardness, and colonial occupation over his homeland. This study confirms that the Abdulchalim’s interpretation cannot be separated from the social situation as a nation that was being colonized faced with Dutch colonial policy and competition with Chinese traders. His exegesis becomes another example from the influence of Islamic renewal thrived in Cairo toward Southeast Asian Muslim activists, especially in the pre-independence period
Pluralism, Liberalism, and Islamism: Religious Outlook of Muhammadiyah
No full textMuhammadiyah has been perceived as an example of a successful blend between Islam and modernity. By adopting modern spirit of discipline, equality, and a hard work ethics, this organization has become a vibrant and independent movement. The number of Muhammadiyah educational and health institutions is only surpassed by those owned by the Indonesian government. Muhammadiyah has 177 universities; thousands of secondary, middle, and elementary schools, as well as hundreds of hospitals and other health institutions. However, the organization’s successes in social, educational, and economic do not necessarily indicate that it also embraces pluralistic values and religious tolerance. This paper, therefore, intends to describe Muhammadiyah’s position in the context of pluralism, liberalism, and Islamism. It argues that although Muhammadiyah is predominated by members with moderate religious inclinations, but a significant number of them are exclusively puritan in their theology. The organization’s focus on social services is the reason why Muhammadiyah has evaded Islamist tendencies
Khalfīyat wa taḥaddīyāt al-aqalīyah al-muslimah al-Ṣīnīyah fi Pontianak
No full textChinese Indonesians are not homogeneous community. Study of the Chinese is also important to understand not only their presence in Indonesia but also religious life. This article seeks to shed light on Indonesia’s Chinese Muslims in Pontianak City. It explains the reasons that led the Chinese Indonesians to convert to Islam and the challenges they face. Several important reasons behind their conversion, among others, are intellectuality, morality, social relations, and mysticism. In contrast with conversion to other religions, a Chinese Indonesians conversion to Islam is such problematic. This is mainly due to the negative stereotype against Muslims. It has also been worsened by the behavior of religious fanaticism of some Muslims under the banner of fundamentalism. Thus, those who are converting to Islam, to some extent, have experienced various challenges such as rejection from family members as well as their original community, and some of them also receive death threats. Besides, they even had to forsake their Chinese identity.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v25i1.603
Historicizing Islam: On the Agency of Siti Maryam in the Construction of Bima’s History of Islamization
No full textThis article focuses on the understanding of Bima’s local interlocutors in the history of Islamization in the region, particularly in light of their construction of Bima vernacular manuscripts. This article provides the agency of Siti Maryam as the owner and caretaker of Samparaja museum who has given access to Bima’s manuscripts, locally called Bo’. Through in-depth interviews and participant observation, I examined how Siti Maryam as the manuscript’s owner constructs the entry of Islam to Bima, and how this understanding becomes the dominant storyline in explaining Bima’s history ranging from the pre-Islamic era to the period of Islamization. The aim of this article is not to discuss the truth or falsity in these historical accounts or to take sides. But all these varying historical accounts are important in providing a doorway into understanding the locally dynamic and religio-political practices of Islam in contemporary Bima.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v25i1.584
The Religiosity, Nationality, and Sociality of Pancasila: Toward Pancasila through Soekarno’s Way
No full textPancasila is the five principles of the Indonesian state’s philosophical foundation. Its existence reflects the characteristics of Indonesia as a multicultural nation-state, one which has to absorb and transform all elements of the nation into a strong, permanent foundation, and a dynamic guiding principle. The five principles are viewed as the crystalisation of the core values and ideals of the nation, as idealised by the existing “trilogy ideology”: religious ideologies, nationalist ideologies and socialist ideologies. All of the ideologies had been synthesized in order to find a common ground that realises the common good (al-maṣlaḥah al-‘āmmah) for the life of the nation. The history of the conceptualisation of Pancasila had been a long process featuring the “seeding” phase, “formulation” phase, and “commencement” phase. Each phase involves the participation of various actors and elements. However, in a joint work of the nation, one of the most prominent actors is Soekarno. To understand Pancasila, one needs to understand his life and thoughts.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v25i2.750
Life of Muslims in Germany, and Its Contextualisation to Indonesian Islam
No full textA PPIM’s junior researcher together with 13 young Indonesian Muslim intellectuals participated in Life of Muslims in Germany Program organized by Goethe Institut during 8-21 July 2018. This event explored Muslim everyday life in Germany through academic and cultural discussions in universities, research and cultural centres, and state officials. Therefore, this document is his insight to describe Muslim life in Germany and its contextualisation for Indonesian Muslim based on experiences in this program. This document article depicts two main issues which are happening in Germany: Muslim integration after the wave of refugees as a result of bloodiest conflict in Middle East and German government’s policy in religious pluralism issues.This program had been initiated in order to bridge cultural understanding for Indonesia, as the most populous Muslim country in the world, toward Muslim life in Germany. Indonesia has been considered as a strategic country which stands for disseminating moderate Islam. In addition, Dr. Heinrich Blomeke, Goethe-Institut, Institute and Regional Director Southeast Asia/Australia/New Zealand, said “the participants will engage in academic discussions and visit Muslim cultural organisation to obtain an insight about Muslim everyday life in German secular state. This program gives an opportunity for them and some Germany’s institutions to share their ideas regarding the experiences of Muslim life in Germany and Indonesia”.
Prolonged Elite Conflict and the Destruction of the Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII)
No full textEven prior to Indonesia’s declaration of independence, political parties flourished as part of the political landscape of the archipelago and played a significant role in Indonesia’s struggle for independence. Instead of contributing to political development and institutionalisation, however, some political parties prove to be unable to survive the test of time. Indeed, one reason for this is internal conflict among party elites. Here I discuss the case of the Indonesian Islamic Union Party (PSII, Partai Syarikat Islam Indonesia), Indonesia’s first Islamic party, before its ultimate demise. This article argues that PSII’s destruction was the result of unresolved conflicts among the party’s elite. In fact, an examination of the party’s history reveals that party unity was fractured for decades as a result of protracted conflicts that resulted in its dissolution. Its return to politics during the newly democratic elections after 1998 remained compromised by the same chronic problem, which affected its ability to generate sufficient popular support to meet the prescribed electoral threshold.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v24i2.458
The Exclusivism of Religion Teachers: Intolerance and Radicalism in Indonesian Public Schools
No full textIn the context of Indonesianism and Islamism, religion teachers serve as avant garde of tolerance, which is then manifested into their social contexts. The attitude of religious tolerance and inclusivity are must have for religion teachers; since these teachers have the closest connection to their students who are mostly young people. We have observed that the increasing radicalism in educational institutions has been associated with particular models of interpretation, understanding, teaching, schools of thoughts, denomination, and even sects within a particular religion. For instance, an international agency has reported the discovery of an "intolerance curriculum" in Saudi Arabian schools (Freedom House, 2006).In Indonesia, the growth of radicalism was due to scriptural, rigid, exclusive, and close-minded interpretation towards religious scripts. In 2008, PPIM (Center for the Study of Islam and Society) UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta released an important finding that "the majority of religion teachers in Indonesian public schools have exclusive and conservative view towards religion."DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v24i2.570
Islām wa fiqh Nusantara: al-Tanāfus ‘alá al-huwīyah wa ‘alāqat al-sulṭah wa al-ramz al-dīnī li jam‘īyah Nahdlatul Ulama
No full textThis article tries to explain how the debate of Islam Nusantara and Fiqh Nusantara discourses among internal Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) happened. The debate, in fact, not only comes from the external of NU’s adherents, but also from the inner-circle of NU’s followers. In the 2015 NU Congress in Jombang, East Java, the debate was polarized into two main groups, namely the traditional ulama and the liberal ulama. The liberal group of NU as represented by Said Aqil Siradj, the General Chairman of PBNU for two periods (2010-2015 and 2015-2020) has been considered as a group of Islam Nusantara bearer, while Hasyim Muzadi, the former General Chairman of PBNU (1999-2004 and 2004-2010) has been considered as a representation of traditional group who reject the concept of Islam Nusantara. This study finds that the debate is not solely about the Islam Nusantara content, but it relates to the power relations among NU’s elite in identifying NU organization with the others to seize the symbols of “power” within NU organization.DOI: 10.15408/sdi.v24i3.432